#ethio-jazz

[sonicandvisualsurprises]

1977

A masterpiece of Ethio-Jazz, Musicawi Silt radiates rhythm'n'soul.

[haveyouheardthisband]

[burlveneer-music]

Jorga Mesfin - The Kindest One - first release of 2007 recordings by a protege of Mulatu Astatke and founder of the Atlanta-based Ethio-jazz group Wudasse

This is Mulatu Astatke’s protege and Ethiopian saxophonist and composer Jorga Mesfin’s debut album. It’s a long foray into Ethio-jazz that takes this courageous syncretism further by fusing spiritual experimentation with bits from all kinds of situations in Ethiopian music, jazz music, and specifically Ethiopian jazz music that precedes it. Jorga Mesfin is widely regarded as one of the most talented contemporary musicians and composers in Ethiopia. He started his professional career at the young age of 17 and has since collaborated with numerous renowned artists, including Tsegaye Gebremedhin, Carolyn Beard Withlow, The Last Poets, Vijay Iyer, Wayna Wondossen, Kirk Whalum, Takana Miyamoto, Gizze Reggae band, Dionne Farris, Aster Aweke, Mahmoud Ahmed, and Mulatu Astatke. Additionally, Mesfin was a resident at Astatke's legendary African Jazz Village in Addis Ababa every Thursday. Jorga Mesfin – Piano, Soprano Saxophone Tefeir Assefa – Percussions Takana Miyamoto – Piano, Accordion Fasil Wuhib – Electric Bass Ali Eric Barr – Djembe Mamaniji Azanyah – Double Bass All songs are composed and arranged by Jorga Mesfin Recorded in Atlanta, USA in 2007 Liner notes: Nathan Hamelberg

[haveyoulistenedtothisalbum-poll]

Tracklist:

ሰዎች፡ምን፡ይላሉ። (Sèwotch men yelalu) • ጩኽቴን፡ብትሰሙ። (Tchuéten Betsèmu) • ላንቺ፡ብዬ። (Lantchi Biyé) • እንዴ�� ኢየሩሳሌም። (Endé Iyérusalem) • ገላ ገላ (Gela Gela) • ባሰል እስከ ብራሰል / ውቢት / ባሰል እስከ ብራሰል (Ambassel to Brussel 1 / Wubit / Ambassel to Brussel 2)

Spotify ♪ Bandcamp

[habeshawubet]

[soundgrammar]

Alèmayehu Eshété: Telantena zare

[zef-zef]

Very nice Album, containing Ethio-Jazz (Ethio-Futurism), Nu Jazz, Spiritual Jazz and wonderful deep Ambient Drone.

Dragonchild

Meditation (Reprise)

Above All From Dragonchild - Dragonchild (FPE, 2023)

[mokgroove-blog]

RAIDERS OF THE LOST ART (Ep. 39) “ALL VINYL - ALL CITY” - MOK GROOVE

[zhanteimi]

Black Flower – Magma

Black Flower – Magma

Belgium, 2022, Ethio-jazz “Inspired by Mulatu Astatke, Fela Kuti and varied western musical traditions”… yes, that much is clear. This album is lovely, easy to listen to, groovy, and a wellspring of expression. And as if the rest of the album wasn’t already good enough, Meskerem Mees lends her beautiful jazz vocals to one of the tracks.

[gordsellar]

A cool history lesson in Ethiopian Jazz.

[sonicandvisualsurprises]

1972

Continuing the exploration of Ethiopia's musical past, this mesmerising instrumental by Mulatu Astatke caught my attention.

Biography from Discogs :

Mulatu Astatke (Amharic: ሙላቱ አስታጥቄ; also written Astatqé on French releases) is arguably one of the most influential and legendary musicians from Ethiopia. During the 1960’s, he studied music abroad in London, Boston, and New York. He then returned home to Ethiopia armed with a love for jazz and Latin music. There he blended Ethiopian traditional music with the Latin-jazz he was so fond of to create a unique hybrid he called “Ethio-jazz”.

Mulatu Astatke is first and foremost a composer but also a multi-instrumentalist, playing the vibraphone, keyboards and organs. He is further credited as having established congas and bongos, instruments normally central to Latin styles, in Ethiopian music.

However, as Ethiopian songs traditionally focused on vocals his greatest contribution to the music of his country was introducing a new focus on instrumentation.

[haveyouheardthisband]

[burlveneer-music]

Ukandanz - Kemekem ከመከም

Ukandanz is back with “Kemekem”, a few months after the release of an instrumental album. The combo finds its voice back with the iconic singer Asnake Gebreyes, still gushing on millennial energies from his native Ethiopa. Combining Ethiopian musical tradition with a contemporary and libertarian reinterpretation, Ukandanz continues its work of public utility with this new opus. With as much subtlety as savagery, the band offers a new version of the Ethiopian crunch whose it is an inestimable pioneer. The fundamental polyrhythms explode on contact with progressive rock, punk music and sound experiments of this pack tightened by years of live music. New instrumental textures stay printed from the last album recorded without Asnake Gebreyes. His come-back raises the temperature a bit more… He is an incandescent prophet of a powerful and unbridled celebration! © Amaury Rullière Asnake Gebreyes : lead vocal Damien Cluzel : bass Lionel Martin : sax Thomas Pierre : drums Fred Escofier : keyboards

[habeshawubet]

[soundgrammar]

Listen/purchase: Yèkèrmo Sèw by Mulatu Astatke